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Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Day 1

If
you’ve ever heard a Hadada ibis calling you’ll know why you don’t need an alarm
clock if one roosts in a tree in your backyard. It wasn’t the best day to start
birding because US election results were distracting me, but armed with a cup
of coffee I quickly listed the birds in the backyard before catching a ride to
a fruiting fig tree with my girlfriend as she headed off to teach.

1

Yellow-vented
bulbul

2

Red
& Yellow barbet

3

Baglafecht
weaver

4

Hadada
ibis

5

Grey headed
kingfisher

6

Red-eyed
dove

7

Jackson's
golden-backed weaver

8

Speckled
mousebird

9

Arrow-marked
babbler

10

Pied
crow

11

Amethyst
sunbird

I
forgot how fun birding alone is and standing under the fig tree I quickly
listed the following species.

12

White
fronted beeater

13

Green
pigeon

14

Black
headed oriole

15

Brown-breasted
barbet

16

African
citril

17

Silvery-cheeked
hornbill

18

Red-winged
starling

19

African
golden oriole

20

White-crested
helmet-shrike

Slowly
I began the walk back to the house… its so fun when you have the time to stop
and be distracted.

21

Lilac
breasted roller

22

White
headed barbet

23

Auger
buzzard

24

White
browed coucal

25

Rattling
cisticola

26

Crimson
rumped waxbill

27

Laughing
dove

28

Tawny
flanked prinia

29

Variable
sunbird

30

Yellow
rumped seedeater

31

Abyssinian
white-eye

32

Lanner
falcon

33

Grey
backed cameroptera

34

Tropical
boubou

35

Emerald
spotted wood dove

36

Barn
swallow

37

Red
billed firefinch

38

Common
drongo

39

Brown
crowned tchagra

40

Grey
hornbill

41

Blue
naped mousebird

With
my list struggling a little because of work commitments and a dreaded drive
into town I decided to head up to my dad’s house for lunch. I knew I’d get the
resident owls and some higher altitude species. Because of the recent rains the birds weren’t visiting the
birdbath so I missed some really common birds… but, hey, I have a whole year to
get this list up!

About Me

I am a guide and guide trainer working in East Africa. I love adventure and the solitude and peace that comes from being in the wilderness. It has led me on a search to learn as much as I can about the larger forces and concepts, as well as little intricacies and beauties in nature. I am a strong believer in conservation that is sustainable and that recognizes indigenous and other people's rights.